Fire-alarm apparatus



May 10 1927.

c. E. KOONTZ FIRE ALARM APPARATUS Filed March 5, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 & n m

INVENTOR AITORNB WITNESS:

May 10, 192-1.

C. E. KOONTZ FIRE ALARM APPARATUS Filed March 5. 1923 WITNESS:

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented May 10, 1927.

CHARLES E. KOONTZ, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND;

FIRE-ALARM APPARATUS;

Application filed March 3, 1923. Serial No. 622,614.

This invention relates to lire alarm boxes. The invention has for its chief characteristic the provision of means whereby the controlling element of the alarm mechanism is automatically actuated incident to the opening of the door of said alarm box, so that those who find it necessary to use the box will not fail to sound the alarm through excitement or forgetting, or through their lack of knowledge as to how the alarm should be sounded. v

In carrying out the invention I provide a key controlled means for maintaining the mechanism in normal position to allow the door to be opened without sounding the alarm when it is necessary to inspect the mechanism or to open the door for any other purpose whatsoever.

-The nature and advantages of the invention, will be better understood when the following detailed description is read in connection with the accompanying drawings, the invention residing in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as claimed.

In the drawings forming part of this application, like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, and wherein Figure 1 is a front elevation of the box, showing the normal position of the parts, the door of the box being partly broken away.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a view showing the normal relation between the alarm control element and the pivoted arm for actuating said alarm.

Figure at is a detail view of the pivoted dog.

Figure 5 is a detail view of the keeper therefor.

Figure 6 is a view somewhat similar to Figure 1 showing the door opened and the arm maintaining the mechanism in normal position.

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 77 of Figure 6 looking in the direction of the arrows. I

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevation, with the door opened showing the active position of the parts.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 10 indicates an alarm box which may be constructed from any suitable material and vary in s ze without departing from the spirit of the invention, the box being equipped with an inner door 11 andan outer door 12. The alarm mechanism, not shown, is concealed by the inner door 11, and includes the controlling element 13 which is mounted for pivotal movement, projecting through a slot or opening let in the inner door 11, so that it may be readily accessible subsequent to the opening of the front door. The outer door 12 is normally locked by a key actuated bolt in the usual well known manner, the key 15 being housed ina suitable casing 16 carriedby the outer door 12, and which casing includes a glass panel 17. It is of course understood that the glass panel 17 must be first broken in order to gain access to the key 15 so that the door may be unlocked, and subsequently opened. In order to sound the alarm, the controlling element, under ordinary circumstances must be depressed, however, this is frequently overlooked by the person finding it necessary to use the box either because the said person is excitable or ignorant of the particular manner in which the alarm is operated. I In order to elminate any possibility of the alarm not being sounded under such circumstances, I provide means whereby the controlling element 13 is automatically actuated incident to the opening of the outer door 12.

F or this purpose I make use of a hori zontally disposed lever 18 which is pivoted at a point between its ends as at 19, upon one side of the inner door 11. this lever is curved upwardly and is formed with acam surface as at 20, for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The opposite end of this lever is pivotally associated with alink 21 arranged substantially vertically and having its upper end pivot-ally associated with what I term a keeper havinga dog to be hereinafter described. This keeper is indicated in Figure 5'a-t 22, and is formed with a bearing .23 for pivotal movementupon a screw bolt or pivot 2i projecting. from the inner door 11. It is also provided with an opening 25 to accommodate the pivot 26 which associates it with the link 21. This keeper is bifurcated as at 27 andprovides cam like surfaces which cooperate with the active extremity 28 of the pivoted dog shown in Figure This dog ispivoted at one end as at 29 upon an arm 30 whichha-s one end pivoted as at 31' upon the inner door 11.

One end of with the :uiljacent end oi a coiled sprin or, the other end of fluid spring hempmed to the door lh so that alter eera inicratioh oi the meet unis: irhieh tzihes plat-e iueident tothe opening;- oi? the door ill. the spring Ellreturns the Pli'tli'lltl dog;- 23:15

position with relation to its lt'eepe .122 so hut these ports Will automatically aasiiiue hornial por tion when the lever ill is tltlllUHr-ttl iheidont to the closing ot the door. lin other words, the mechanism operates to sound the alarm when the door is opened and is eutoniatieally reset tor another operati-iii when the door is swung to its closed POL. Jloll. The arm is also provided with :i slog log which limits the movements oil? the pirot ed dog 32 in the direetiou ot its keeper, while also projecting from this; arm to is en a lditionel log 36 arranged immediately ehove the adjacent end of the alarm control element l3 eontzieting and depressing the latter when the lever it is moved downwardly under he inthienee oi the spring LET. it will he noted that this spring has one end secured to the lever 1.8 and its other end :reeured to the door 1.1. The active extremity of the pivoted dog 3). is normally received my the hitt'ureation 2? of the keeper shown in Figure .3, whieh is held in this position under the iiitlueioee of the spring 13 1;. Projecting from the inner face oi the outer door lit a roller having a tapered end and which coopemtes with the earn surface :20 ot the lever 1d, so that when the door closed the roller rides upon the upper, edges of the carted extremity. and elevates the love against the teue ion of the spring 3T, thereby resetting: the nioeh. nisin tor a second operation.

In practice, when it is tit sited. to would the alarm, the gloss panel LT is; hrolcen so that access may he had to the her 13 which turned to unlock the outer door 1:2 which swings open when released hr the pressure of the lever 18 upon the roller 13%? at which time the lever is swung on i e pivot l t under the influence ot the spring to the posi tion illustrated in liigure S. i

the lever is moved in this direction. the keeper is swung do'wmvardtr on its pilot. heiog di reetly connected with the link iil a soeieljetl. with the lever l8. tiloiisei;ueotlv the keeper forces the pivoted t, ii downwardly. hy reason of its ZlSSOtElitllOl'l vvith the active or;- treniity 28 thereof. hut as this extremity El i moves over a. coin till is ohviousl 'r haired. away from the keeper to allow the spring; ill: to subsequently ttu'ietion tor the purpose above mentioned. Ilo a'eveiy hetero the piroted dog is thus separated tron: the keeper wee positioi with relation to its keeper 521%. so that when the lever .th' is again depressed by the roller do ioeidrht to the eloeing ol' the door, the parts will he autohatieally reset. "ihe position ot the dog); $553 with relation to its keeper just prior to l;1ei o; reset as stated is clearly illustrated in l igure 8. In eonnection with the operetiou ot the lever 18 h the roller 2718, it is pointed out that upon elosine' oi the door 12-. the roller :izl engage: the rent wairtaee fl t] "lormed on the lever to and draws the same to operative position. ahd this aetiou resets the parts as will be apparent and. as shown iii Figure 1 oi the d rmvii'ig.

Lit is sometimes heeessary to grain zieeess to he interior ot the hon: tor the pui'poee ol'i nopeetiny the alarm hieehahism and, also tor l e plllpth-Lt of making repairs thereto and i erious other reasons. at: which time it is not desired to soiuid the alarm. Conseuently l. have provided mttiilt'i whereby the iiieehanisni ohove lltiS rhed ran he ni.'1in taiiied in its normal posit ion. hile the outer door is opened, end else permit the inner door to he SillJEtltEllOllljllV o 'iened with said ioeel than in sueh a position. The means ilfor this 1Jl1l}n ::i-0 rohsi t, ot :1 hey actuated hol -ltl which ope ttt in a suitable easing ll, a-teeurtal t o the inner door l l, and provided with a hey hole elot 'l. he outer door liZ it at provided with at key hole slot: l normally covered h v u pivoted plate -l;-.l-. .lt will he noted that the key hole slot it, oi" the outer door is arranged at a ripght apple to the .l hole slot ahove mentioi'ied, so the alter the key has heen inserted, in the lcev hole slot al it must he suhserpiently turned to at ohunodete itselt to the key hole hetero the hell it) me he :etuoted. this or 'aegeinent oi the key hole slot is only known to iespeetors or those author-- ixed to open the box by the :ir aiigenieot prohibits uheuthorim-d persons from, tam 'ierine with, or openiito the hex. In l ie ure Tl l. have r-ehotvn the normal position ot the hell: it ivl'iereiii the holl; pi'r'ijeels heyoud the loivrr edggfe oi: the casing which position of the holt permits the lever I to he ti-eel operated in the manner lll'ltll' f' deserilniid. lint. when it ie deeired to open the outer door without souudiiu alarm. the holt e-l ie operated through the inslrumeiitalit v ot at her. not shown. to arrange the bolt in means ot the hey,

the position shown in Fig;

ill]

ure (5.' This is done of course before the outer door is opened so that incidentto the opening of the door 12, the lever 18 is supported in its normal position against the influence of the spring 37 to prevent sounding of the alarm. The inner door ll can also be then opened to gain accessto the alarm mechanism for any purpose whats soeve'r without disturbing the normal arrangement of the mechanism carried by the door 11.

Projecting from the inner side of the outer door 12 is a stud member including a fixed section 45 and a pivoted section 46, the latter being disposed in axial alignment with the section 45 when the door is opened. This stud member is employed to prevent the outer door from being closed 'without retracting or returning the bolt 40 to its normal position, which may be otherwise done inadvertently by the inspector or the person repairing the box. So that when the bolt 40 is in the position shown in Figure 6, the door 12 cannot be fully closed, inasmuch as the bolt 40 is in the path of movement of the tubula member which holds the door partly open. However, when the bolt etO is retracted or returned to normal position and under ordinary circumstances when the door is swung to its closed position, the pivoted section 16 of this tubular member rides on the upper edge of the lever 18 assuming the position shown in Figure 2, so as not to interfere with the closing of the door.

The detail operation performed by the inspector of the box when it is desired not to sound an alarm, is described as follows: The key above mentioned is insertedin the key hole slot 33 and turned to be positioned in the key hole slot 42 for arranging the bolt to operative position against the lever 18 so that the parts are retained in position as shown in Figure 6 of the drawings. The key-is then removed from the lock and the door 12 opened. The door 11 can then be opened and closed without disturbing the parts, and when it is desired to return the bolt -10 to inactive position, the key is inserted in the key hole slot 42, but before the bolt is moved, the inspector must arrange the dog 32 so that it will rest upon the upper edge of the link 21 to prevent the dropping of the arm on the con- UOl element 13. This position of the dog is shown in Figure 8 of the drawing, the bolt.

10 can then be moved to inoperative position without'tear of the arm 30 pressing the control element 13. lVhen the bolt is thus moved, the lever 18 will drop under the influence of the spring 37 and be out of the path of the stud member, so that the door 12 can be readily closed to reset the parts as shown in Figure 1.

While it is believed that from the foregoing description, the nature and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent, I desire to have it understood that I do not limit myself to what is herein shown and described and that such changes may be resorted to when desired as fall within the scope of what is claimed.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A fire alarm box including an alarm control element, a door closing said box, means whereby the control element is actuated to sound the alarm incident to the opening of the door, means whereby the door may be opened without operating the control element and means carried by said door and arranged to engage a part of one of said means to prevent the closing of said door when the second mentioned means is disposed in operative position.

2. In an automatic alarm operating device for tire alarm boxes, the combination with the inner and outer doors thereof and the alarm operating device, of a movable menr ber secured to said inner door, means whereby said movable member may operate the alarm operating device, means secured to said outer door and engaging said movable member to retain the latter in inoperative position when said outer door is fastened and disengaging. said member when the outer door is unfastened, a lock on said inner door which may be operated from the outer door and the bolt of which may be disposed against said movable member to hold it in inoperative position independent of the retaining means on the outer door and means to prevent the closing of said outer door while said movable member is held in inoperative position by said bolt.

3. An attachment for a fire alarm box including an alarm control element, a door closing said box and a locking device for said door, comprising means for operating the control element, means for automatically operating the first means and simultaneously swinging the door to open position when the door is unlocked, said second means including means carried by said door for holding the second mentioned means inoperative while the door is locked.

4. A fire alarm box including an alarm control element, a door closing said box, means whereby the control element is actuated to sound the alarm incident to the open ing of the door, means whereby the door may be opened without, operating the control element and meanscarried by said door and arranged to engage a part of the first mentioned means to prevent theclosing of said door when the second mentioned means is disposed in operative position.

5. A fire alarm box including an alarm control element, a door closing locking means for said door, means for actuating said element to sound the alarm when said box,

the door is unlocked said means including a substantially horizontally disposetil pivoted lever i'iorn'iall held inactive when the door is closed a normally inactive movable atop adapted to occupy a position to pre vent movement of the lever, whereby the door may' he opened without sounding: the alarm, and a stud member including a fixed, acetion extending inwardly from the door, a pivoted section aeeured to Said fixed Heetion and arranged with respect to said lever to engage the latter to prevent the closing ol? the door when the normally inactive movable stop is disposed in operative posi tion to prevent movement oi said lever.

U. A tire alarm including" a control element, a door closingr said box. means includ .ing a auhstantially horimntallv disposed spring actuated pivoted lever having a cam surface on a curved free end thereof, a substantially vertieallv diapoeed lever pivoted to the -:uli rtantiall v horizontally disposed lever, a pivoted. bifurcated keeper pivotally receiving the upper end of the substantially vertically disposed lover, a springactuated dotassociated with the bitiu'catzcd portion of said keeper. :1 pivoted arin pivotally rceeiving the dog; whereby said dog is adapted to actuate said arm, a lug on said arm and disposed adjacent the alarn'rcontrol element, a roller on said door adapted to actuate the substantially horizontal lever to hold Sl'tlfl parts of said means in normal position when the door is disposed in its closed position, said parts being rendered ()jflltllltti when the door is opened to allow the lug of the arm to actuate the alarm control element and SillLl. parts being againdispoaed to normal position by the engagement of the roller with the curved surface of the subatantially horizontally disposed bar when the door is disposed to closed position.

In testimony whereof I alllx my signature.

CHARLES 1*]. KOON'lY/i. 

